my welcome Son let me embrace you But are you griev'd for this Apostacy A real Catholick now and do believe There is no other Faith on Earth to save you And are resolv'd to die in that Opinion North. I am and by my Vows and Tears confirm it Gard. O then let me adopt thee North. Best of Fathers Mine gave me Birth and launch'd me to the World He lent this Frame but you an Arm to steer it O Pilate of the Soul blest Guide to Heav'n That with the softest and the mildest Function Brings Man to Glory through a Milky way Gard. Enough North. Cou'd I but win my Gilford too in death To Seal the Roman Faith with Dudley's Blood Then had I all that I can wish Gard. O Miracle That were a Triumph worthy of the Cause Mark me O gallant Duke Bring but young Gilford home to deck Rome's Lawrels And that proud Champion of their Worship Iane To make thee happy and reward thee greatly The Powers of either World shall be at strife I 'll give thee Heav'n the Queen shall grant thee Life North. Shall they have Mercy too Gard. Yes all shall live I 'll instantly about it to the Queen Who shall send Orders to conduct you to ' em Enter Dutchess of Suffolk Behold fall'n Man the Slaughter of Ambition Pride like a Vulture tears the lovely Quarry This Woman once an Angel in her Sphere Has now within her Breast a greater Hell Than those damn'd Spirits that for her vice so fell Why is this Fury let abroad Dutch I come to seek a Virtuous Priest like thee And that I may be sure I hunt by Night Grope in the Dark Gard. And why by Night Dutch O there 's a Reason for it For mind me Sirs by Day they are as thick As Whales in Forrests or as Stars at Noon So thick they cross the Scent Besides by Day we know not one from t'other They all look grave and wise like Thee and Godly But then at Midnight mark me if I find As 't is a chance and very rare my Lords One on his knees a Fasting and a Praying Then I let loose my Guard of Furies on him That worry him to Death I 'll have no Praying Amongst your Tribe at all but in the Pulpit Nor Fasting but at Meals Ha! what does ail me Gard. A little sick of Pride a Fit o' th' Mother Dutch Ha! am I troubled then with thy Disease I 'll turn Physician first and kill more Bodies Than thou hast made despair and murder'd Souls Say Reverend Hypocrites wilt thou teach me Gard. 'T is like she 'd fall to Physick after eating Dutch Ha! now you talk of eating rarely thought Pray will your Lordship sup with me to Night Gard. Why Dutch I invite you to a Dish you love Gard. What is 't Dutch It is a fine plump Diocess Larded with six fat Parsonages at least Besides two Bishopricks of Hereticks Sticking like Gizards to it in Comendam Gard. Malice and Pride turns Witchcraft straight or Madness This sickness of the Mind ill bodes the Body You are not well Repent and think of dying Dutch I will not think of Death this twenty I am non fifty yet and find my self As gay and young as any of my Daughters Look I not killing fit to grace the Park Looks in her Pocket-Glass I 'll take the Air to Night My Charriot ready Hear me you Slaves be sure I have my Coach Which the Queen said was finer than her own I 'll have eight Horses too to draw me thither Six is a sneaking number Fy upon it My Chaplain's Wife that was my Chamber Maid Has six and has not dub'd her Husband yet a Bishop Gard. How her Brain soars and her Ambition praunces The Asp has stung like Tarrantala Dutch So is my Charriot come My Lords farewell Wou'd you have any Service where I 'm going Gard. Where 's that Dutch I 'll tell you in your Ear to Hell my Lord Resolve to go and bear me company My Flanders Mares are somewhat of the heaviest But if you please I 'll go your Lordships pace And lay fresh Horses to be there betimes Will you my Lord Come take me by the hand To North. Hang creeping in a Sledge 't is base and vile You that was such a high and towring Falcon And flew at nought but Crowns Dost see that Churchman The Devil and he are drawing Cuts to have thee I pity thy Estate Priest I defie thee Gard. How curst is Madness when it turns Prophane Dutch O what a gaudy Kingdom is this Hell Courts made of burning Brass and dropping Gold Gallants a riding in hot Emrold Coaches Shining like Meteors in the fiery Region With Horses that have Flames instead of Wings Ladies that scorching Planets have for eyes Freckl'd all o'er with Carbuncles and Rubies That glow like Stars and crackle with the heat There sumptuous Bagnio's carv'd of Rocky Ice Here Ponds of liquid Crystal made to bathe in That 's colder in degree than Hell is hot Who wou'd not be a Knave to be so tortur'd North. Alas my Lord she 's pitiful Dutch Ha! what a gallant smell of Roman French Italian Essences and rich Perfumes here are It overcomes me and corrects the steem Of Hell Ha! ha ha Gard. What does she see now Dutch My Lord Northumberland does your Grace see ' em North. See whom Dutch Empson and Dudley gaping wide as Famine And two stout Fiends with Buckets full of Ore Pouring the melted Mass into their Mouths Which they disgorge into a Leathern Sack That Richmond laughing out aloud does hold Betwixt 'em Ha! ha ha Exeunt Gilford and Jane lying on the Floor asleep A Basket of Flowers and a Garland Gilford wakes Gilf. Who calls Methought I heard 'em cry awake The Ax is ready and the Scaffold fix'd For an Immortal Diadem prepare The swarming Streets with gazing Crowds are fill'd Turrets and Windows like a Day of Triumph With Tissue hung and cruel Beauties throng'd To see us mount the dismal Throne of Death Arise my Soul 's couragious Guard my Iane Wake wake my Love thy fatal hour's at hand Ha! how she sleeps Such were her looks when in my Arms she slep't The happy Morning to our Marriage-Night Thus heav'd her panting Breasts and thus she smil'd The bubbling Joys born from our eager Kisses Like wanton Spirits dancing on her Lips O Virtue most Divine O form Angellick How rich a paint is Innocence to Beauty How calm they sleep whom Pious Thoughts have lull'd What charming Stories do they count in Dreams Whose Prayers like thine are Prologue to their Slumbers Ia. Where is my Love where think'st thou I have been Is this the World and this the Ground we rest on And are we yet the Gulf of Death to pass Gilf. Behold if thou canst form within thy mind That dismal Fall of Waters near to view How like two Arrows down the Stream it shoots us There we must plunge for loe they come to fetch
us Where hast thou been what did thy Fancy shew thee Ia. Methought I softly stole from thee away As thou safe sleeping on my Bosom lay And glad that I had pass'd grim Death alone Mounted on Pinions that out-flew the Sun But on the Confines of that Heavenly Race A Warlike Angel stood to Guard the place The same whom Sacred Story says to be 'T was Raphael sure or one more great than he Who looking terrible with this Command A Beamy Garland put into my hand Return said he Crown him thou lov'st most dear Without thy Gilford there 's no entrance here At that last word I starting back did fâ—y Swift as a falling Meteor from the Skie And come to fetch thee on my Cherubs wings Where we will Raign more absolute than Kings Gilf. Cou'dst thou alas thou Darling of my Heart Alone to Heav'n without thy Gilford part Nay if thy Dreams can foster such a Crime No Sleep but Death shall part us from this time Like Turtles we have languish'd here in Love And will like loving Angels dwell above Ia. Let me adorn thy Temples and obey The Angels and the Deity 's Decree Behold this Wreath the Beauties of the Field The rarest Sweets the Bowers of England yield Now Spring and Paradise are on thy Brow Puts the Garland on his Head And richer Flowers in Eden never grew The spotless Ram thus Hymen's Victim dies To Love an Off'ring Death a Sacrifice Gilf. These lovely Blossoms of the fruitful Year Are proud that they thy Beauty's Livery wear I saw thy hands new mould 'em all the night And with thy Fingers turn the Lillies white Saw thee too lift the Garland to thy Head And with a kiss made every Rose so red Ia. Not Incense nor Arabian Spices smell So sweet as does the Breath as here does dwell Gilf. O Paradise O Virtue most Divine In whom all Graces with all Beauties shine Ia. Pity my case perhaps when I shall see This Head without the Body brought to me These Lips that were so red then ghastly pale Gasping for Life that now with Pleasures swell No Breath to give thy Harmonious Voice a Tone Nor Tongue to tell thy Iane its pitious Moan These Eyes that now my shining Planets are Extended and like angry Meteors glare These Locks my Fingers did so often twine With Sweets of Amber strew and Jessamine Powder'd with Dirt and matted all with Gore Horrid to view shall shine like Gold no more Gilf. The jealous Queen cannot so cruel be But let one Ax one Moment set us free Whilst taking thus our last Farewells like this The Blow shall but divide a parting Kiss Then as the Steel does to the Loadstone cleave We 'll meet again and end the Kiss we leave Enter Northumberland Guarded North. All Blessings reign on Suffolk's happy Daughter New Springs of Love adorn your Faithful Garland Health and long Life the Queen by Dudly sends Gilf. Are you my Father's Spirit or kinder Genius From the Immortal Region come to chide Your Gilford's and your Daughter 's long delay What e'er thou art thus shou'd our knees adore thee Or Deity or Angel or as fear'd my Father North. Rise Gilford rise I am that Earthly Mould From whence my Son receiv'd this Manly Form I once begot thee on a Beauteous Mother But now like Heaven without a Female Aid Have Power to make thee with my Godlike Breath And give thee Life as in the Womb again Ia. Blest Prophet's voice to a despairing Sinner Let me again the charming sound devour Say shall thy Gilford Shall my Husband live Speak quickly with a Parent 's Zeal and tell The welcom'st News that Heav'n can send to Iane. North. Come sit we down I know thou dy'st to hear But this transcends ev'n all thy Womans Longings 'T is Business of Import I have to say What cou'dst thou do for this dear pretious Youth This tender Shoot that longs to grow a Cedar This Darling of my Blood and Joy of thine Whose Soul is wov'n by Fate with both our Souls And in each others Breast makes two but one That I may challenge Pardon of Heav'n and say I ne'er did greatly ill but for his sake What wou'dst thou do to save his life and mine Ia. What wou'd I do propose the speedy way Were I to swim the Sea with these weak Arms Kind Heav'n shou'd lend me Strength to stem the Waves And make the Ocean but a narrow Brook Gilf. Quick quick my Lord trembling I ask the means What is the Task that she must do for this I fear her life must be for mine the Ransom If so be dumb as threatning Meteors rather And never word drop from My Father's Tongue Of any sound tho' 't were to give his Blessing Hear him not pri'thee Iane. North. Have hopes my Boy Yet is th' Adventure hard I know 't will shock you Ia. Quickly disclose it By my hopes you wrack me This Wonder for I am in pain to know What I can grant and will not fly to do North. 'T is meet you know how many Lives depend On the least Sentence of your precious Breath And what a Train of Happinesses spring Or die with this mean Syllable of Ay Or No. Ia. What must I do the Day runs on a-pace The murmurings of the Crowd alas I hear And Ratlings of the Sledge approach my Ear. North. Come Gilford lean thy Head upon her Breast And listen to the pantings of her Heart And tell me how she bears it This it is The Queen requires you but to set your Name Nay for the Ransom of our Lives conjures you To sign this Paper and to charm you to 't Know 't was Indicted by a Man so just Whose Life stands Candidate with all the Saints For Holiness 't is but to own thy self Ia. Is it to own the Blackness of my Crime Profess that I am Guilty and deserve The Death that I am doom'd to suffer Give 't me And I 'll subscribe my self I Iane to be The vilest Traitress Heav'n did ever punish North. Peruse it Ia. I have seen a Bassalisk H 'as shot his pointed Venom through my Eyes And numm'd my Body to a Senceless Clay O Gllford 't is not in my Power to save Thy Life nor mine from Tortures Gilf. Ha! what say'st thou Ia. Judge with thy Eyes if thou canst bear the Monster North. O Iane the lowest Ebb of time is now Mercy is Heaven's Prerogative and thine And this must be dispenc'd alas this Moment Nay I have more to tell thee Gilford hear thou The Duke thy tender Father so belov'd Falling into Conspiracy with Wyatt Is doom'd to suffer with the Fatal Crew Thy Life thy Father's Life if not thy Gilford's Be those the Planets that should bear the Blame Ia. Ha! Gilf. The tempting Fiend goes cunningly to work The damning Fruit to our first Parent was Thus Minister'd by her whom most he lov'd As this is by a Father Ia. Ay my Love Would'st thou for some few
a Sledge Than in a gawdy Chariot to be Crown'd This say and tell the Queen I was the Traytor Pemb. Madam there 's nothing then remains But oh the hardest Task for me to do That ever Heart not made of Steel cou'd think Or ever Tongue relate which is your Sentence And which the Law provides for such Offences Ia. Look on me Gilford with those healing Eyes While w' are together we 'll devour our Woes And Miseries shall be the Banquet of Our parting Lives deck'd out with gaudy Love Pronounce it in the name of Heav'n my Lord. Pemb. Rise then with me O ghastly Audience hear Start up like Spirits in Shrouds or Statues mute Not the least Sence or Motion that you live Nor fatal sign of Pulse or Breath appear Nor Lips be curst to say Amen but mine But with that awful silence pale and fix'd As you wou'd hearken to the World 's great Doom Ia. My Lord you are too pitiful Pemb. And when you see me ready to pronounce Wish that this Breath were Poyson to infect you These weeping Eyes were threatning Comets rather These Tears a Deluge that would drown the World But oh I am condemn'd to speak and when Hereafter you 'd relate a Tale that 's sad Remember this unhappy Pair remember Poor Pembrook thus afflicted as he is Pronouncing their unwilling Sentence which Is this and this the Court awards Gilf. What is it quick pronounce see we are guarded Thus hand in hand while w' are intrench'd with Love Each gallant Courage is the others Armour Pemb. You both are to be carry'd from this Bar Unto the Prison or Place from whence you came From whence y' are to be drawn upon two Hurdles Unto the common place of Execution Where you my Lord must by the Neck be hang'd Cut down alive and in the sight of all Your Bowels pull'd out and burnt before your Face Your Head first to be sever'd from your Body And Body then divided into Quarters Which are to be dispos'd of by the Queen But Madam out of Reverence to your Sex And for distinctions sake and Modesty Your Body must be compass'd round with Faggots And there be fasten'd to a Stake and burnt And so kind Heav'n have Mercy on your Souls Scene draws Exeunt omnes preter Jane Gilford and Guards Ia. Come to the faithful Partner of thy Bed To all thy Wishes and thy Sorrows wed Thou Joy thou Pain thou Comfort and thou Grief Fear of my Heart and Pleasure of my Life How long shall we be tost by ev'ry Breath From Courts to Prisons and from Prisons to Death Gilf. Where must these Halberts lead us to the Tower Our Dungeon now that was our Nuptial Bower So fell the Angels that did so aspire As I am punish'd for so rash desire To think there so much happiness cou'd be On Earth to be possess'd of Crowns and Thee Ia. Sweet Harmony of Life just Musick flows From Souls and strings by stops that interpose Always intranc'd is never to be blest Hunger delights but Surfeits spoil the Taste Love were not Love nor wou'd you Heav'n be dear If ever we enjoy'd such Raptures here Gilf. Sure never Pair were born by Fate so soon To kiss the Sun then driv'n so quickly down Shot like a pond'rous Weight that from the Sky With greater force does to the Center fly Marry'd and Crown'd injoy'd the Nuptial Bed Convicted and to Execution led King Queen and nothing all before the Sun Had twenty of its daily Courses run Ia. Behold us here thus tost thus driv'n thus hurl'd Gilford and I be warnings to the World For popular Applause and false Renown Make but a barren Title to a Crown A rash Usurper with no Right but these Rides like a Ship unballast on the Seas Flatter'd with gentle Winds does proudly Sail But when the Billows rage and Storms prevail Her glorious Bulk too empty for its height The Sea and dreadful Ruin swallow straight Exeunt Omnes ACT V. SCENE I. Northumberland solus O Curst Ambition fatal to Mankind Banefull'st of all the Passions of the Mind Too big for the Foundation thou must fall And coveting too much dost hazard all Nameless and dead Posterity and thee The Branches perish'd with the fatal Tree No Age to come shall speak of Dudley's Name Recount his Glories or his Childrens Fame The Seeds that I had Sown to Heav'n to shoot Storm'd in a Night and shaken with the Root Yet the Queen 's pious to a Miracle Will spare thy Life to save a Soul from Hell Bend supple Conscience when Life 's to be gain'd That may be certain what 's hereafter feign'd We know not what 's on th' other side the Skreen Behind you dreadful Curtain to be seen Turn Prodigal and let the Husks alone Rome's an Indulgent Mother to her Son Enter Gardner Gard. I come my Lord tho' loth at your Request To see a Noble Man in Misery Northumberland that was so great in Chains Looks like Malitious Triumph in Revenge Of the ill Offices I had from him North. For which my Lord I kneel to be forgiv'n And bend with Sorrow lower than my Fortune The frailties of Mankind wise Angels hide Man is but Man and Heav'ns best Grace is Pardon None can accuse me nor defend me better My Lord of Winchester had rather be My Confessor than Witness to Arraign me Gard. Rise full of Pardon from above and me If there be ought within the Miters Power Or my small Management of State to grant you With Charity and Love profest and real With vilest Malice thrown behind my back And worst of Injuries forgot I 'll do 't North. I wou'd forsake this Step-Mother to Truth This wrong Religion of my own Adoption And fain wou'd turn to the true Womb that bore me The Natural Parent of my long lost Faith But want a Guide like you to shew the way Gard. What said you are you real Noble Duke The Vault of Heav'n shall ring with Hallalujahs And Rome for this Eternal Anthems sing That you my Lord forsake your fatal Error North. By all the Host of Angels that in Choirs Resound the Praise of one repenting Sinner I thirst I burn I kneel to be receiv'd Into the Bosom of Rome's Faith again Gard. By what strange Miracle wert thou my Son Snatch'd from that stubborn Anvile of Religion Which forg'd so many harden'd Hereticks Into the tender mouldings of the Church North. Tho' still convinc'd of Rome's Immortal Power Charm'd with the dazling hopes of being great Feigning what pleas'd the Headstrong Harry best I for so mean a price as Favour sold My dearest Faith deceiv'd young Edward too And knowing Iane in Luther's Heresie To be more strongly rooted than to change Ambitious to intail the Crown on Gilford Still own'd my self a zealous Protestant But since the Prime of Saints that 's now in Heav'n Did once like me deny his Lord on Earth May not I hope and you pronounce my Pardon Gard. My Lord
years of Life perhaps Some days may finish what we prize so dearly Would'st thou consent that I shou'd forfeit Heav'n My Spotless Innocent and Bosom Faith Forsake the Truth that was so lov'd by me And lose the Joys of Immortality Gilf. I know what I wou'd act were I my Iane Were Gilford's safety only in the Ballance O all you Saints that wear Immortal Crowns Spirits of Martyrs that bright Angels are Not Racks nor Tortures burning Pincers Fires Shou'd make me leave this Faith the most Divine Which adorns thee and thou hast made to shine Ia. O Young O Good O Youth belov'd of Heav'n Gilf. But when I see a Father's Agonies Sweating cold Drops with terrour to behold The Heads-man diving in thy Gilford's Bowels And in the Hearts of four unhappy Brothers But oh and which is more than all the Lives Of all the Sons and Daughters of Mankind Thy precious Life if that 's a Crime to save You Heavenly Powers if then 't is Sin to change The Fact it self wou'd from your doom appeal And quash Damnation with the very mention North. Ay there my Son do press her hold her there Ia. What is my Husband Traytor to my Soul Then I may say as Caesar did to Brutus Dost thou too Gilford stab me to the Heart North. Come prostrate fall with me Lo at your Feet The Sad and Miserable Dudley lies See on the Ground the Father and the Son Thy Husband too that shou'd Command thee all And reign the Conq'ring Rival of thy Soul O say the word thou Woman most Divine Quick e'er they come to fetch thee and my Children Like a dumb Drove with Pantings to the Shambles First they begin with him and in in thy sight Fasten his Manly Body to the Sledge Which ne'er was bound before but in thy Arms. Then see the Villain with a Butcher's Knife Ripping his Bowels open to the Throat And tearing thence the Heart he holds to view That Heart which did so oft in silent Language Whisper the Story of your Faithful Loves But now insenc'd leaps in the Ruffin's hand And cries more fierce the Cruelty of Iane. Then then it stabs and e'er I come to die Breaks his poor Father's Heart and all the Standers by Ia. What must be done must then be done this Moment The time is suddain but the Gate of Heav'n Is easie to be lock'd yet hard to open It has a Spring without a Key which when We shut too rashly we no more can enter I am resolv'd North. Of what Ia. Not to be chang'd till I am dead For all the Blood that 's threaten'd to be shed Nor for the Crown took lately trom this head North. Hell Scalding Lead and Sulphures said'st thou ha O Iane think think of the Pains of Death remember Thy tortur'd Father and the Womb that bore thee Who brought thee not into this Cursed World With half the Pangs that thou and they must suffer Ia. No more I have inevitably said North. Fly Gilford fly let 's vanish from her Presence Damnation came from Woman first and still The mischief reigns in her and all the Sex O Woman Woman false as are thy Beauties Thou art a Tempting Fair Deceitful Way Leading by smooth Degrees to narrow Fastness Through which most Mortal Men do slide to Ruine But out of Ruine none Gilf. Stay stay my Lord. North. Not were the Ax a falling on my Head And she shou'd cry aloud I turn I turn Were there but one Religion in the World I 'd sooner die an Atheist and be Damn'd Than be of one Belief with her Gilf. Alas North. Since first the Serpent tempted Womankind The Snake lies lurking in the Sex's mind False Subtile Vain to keep your Faith 's secure There need a thousand Bolts to bar the Door Without like gilded Sepulchers you shine But open'd full of Rottenness and Sin At best who hopes to find a Goddess there Is cheated with a Bubble fraught with Air. Therefore the safe retreat of Human Life Is far from all the Sex but most a Wife Gilford why should we fear worse pains to feel The Marry'd Wretch has sure no other Hell Exit North. Enter Pembrook Gardner attended Gard. I met the Duke your Victim led to Death Not as we wish'd with Roman Laurels Crown'd Nor with the Visage of a Conqueror When 't is in your sole Power Ia. My Lord Rome's Markets ne'er were counted cheap Which makes me fear the Purchase being so great The price is more than my Estate can pay Gard. O thou whose wond'rous Mind and Body 's blest With all the parts and Beauties of thy Sex And Excellence of Man I come not here To wean an Infant turn a spleenful Woman To her resolv'd and fix'd Chymera wed But to a Judge who though a Child in Years Is fit to teach Philosophy a Rule And tell the Schools they erre Ia. Alas my Lord This Flattery bespeaks you more a Courtier Than an Embassador from the Court of Heav'n Gard. Yet Madam let it not be thought that you To cruel Niceness should have such regard That Iane out of a sullen Piety Ia. My Lord You will confess that one Divinity One Center moves the Catholick Faith and yours That wise Religious are like Skilful Pilots May with contrary winds the same way steer And meet together in one Port at last Gard. There you come close be wise and oh come nearer Then since not our Beliefs but Forms do vary This difference only seems 'twixt us and you Ours is a nearer Cut but o'er a River And yours a new invented Way through Desarts who 'd then refuse to pass the narrow Water And go vast Leagues about for fear of drowning Ia. My Lord I am a Wretch condemn'd to die And now am almost at my Journey 's end Is this a time to tempt me to draw back And tell me I have left a nearer way Gard. Yet save your Life and all their Lives Consider Say but the word and this shall hold the Ax. Ia. Witness you Powers so woven is my Belief So one with me that as my Nurses Milk Infus'd its Nourishment into my Blood Heav'n did distil this Balm into my Soul Yet had not the Almighty taught me this The Truth to me another Godhead is A Faith that no Apostacy endures Nor envy I that constancy in yours Far be my hopes but you in Heav'n may shine Live you in yours and let me die in mine Gard. Then since no President from Time can win you No Arguments Divine nor Human Wisdom Nor yet those Wretches Lives your Marble Heart Can turn you drive the Law to take its course Ia. Go on I dare the utmost of your Malice Till with your Cruelty my Death become What was your Justice Noble Martyrdom I see your Plots contriv'd in dark Cabals Your Leopard Consciences and freckl'd Souls All your feign'd Zeal that your great Lord may Raign Tyrant of Souls and Landlord of their Gain Gard. Haste lead 'em all to